The Bears are now 8-3 entering Week 13 under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. 

The team has already overcome various roadblocks this year. While part of it is definitely on Johnson's coaching, the locker room chemistry that General Manager Ryan Poles has crafted is another reason this team hasn't been bothered. 

Head coach Ben Johnson spoke at a recent press conference about the impact that the players Poles has brought in has had on the team. Johnson was especially pleased with the veteran leadership that the Bears have. 

"I think we’ve got the right type of guys," Johnson said. "Ryan (Poles) has really done a great job of constructing the roster that way. The veteran leadership is outstanding — Kevin Byard, Joe Thuney, Grady (Jarrett). We probably have 10-12 guys that we really lean into on a weekly basis just to get a pulse of the team, and they do a really good job of keeping the main thing the main thing in the locker room. As a coaching staff, we always try to have the right messaging for whatever that week entails, the path to victory, to team building, things of that nature. I think it’s come along really well. It’s really those veterans that I just can’t sing their praises enough."

The effects of what Poles did this offseason are coming to fruition. He traded for offensive guard Joe Thuney, who has become the leader of the Bears' offensive line. He added another great locker room presence in veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett. 

The true leader of the defense, however, is none other than safety Kevin Byard. He joined the Bears in the 2024 offseason after spending the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans. 

Poles even saw the value of bringing in a guy like veteran quarterback Case Keenum to help Caleb Williams. Keenum's impact was seen this season, as he motivated Williams before sparking a fourth-quarter comeback in the 24-20 win over the New York Giants. 

Keenum was seen on the sidelines predicting that Williams would lead the Bears to a win. 

"Hey, catch your breath, you're about to go win this game for us," Keenum said. "You're dealing right now, bro! I freaking love it. Go get a dirty one. Rally the boys, let's go, man! Hey, they're about to get a stop for you right now. You're gonna go win us this game. 

Williams went on to score two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game to seal the win. 

With the injuries in the secondary, an experienced player was needed to rally the troops. Poles went out and signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has lit a fire under the secondary and been holding down the nickel spot at corner in the wake of Kyler Gordon's calf injury. 

In just four games with Chicago, Gardner-Johnson has 20 total tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss. 

Without leaders like that in the locker room, previous Bears teams would've crumbled, especially on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Linebackers T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds and Noah Sewell were all out with injuries. 

In stepped D'Marco Jackson, Amen Ogbongbemiga and Ruben Hyppolite II. The three didn't have the most experience, but got the job done as the Bears won 31-28.

Could Chicago have done that without some solid veteran leadership? Absolutely not. 

Poles knew precisely what he was doing when building out this roster over the last few years. It's leading to wins and a positive locker room culture, helping this team overcome many obstacles in 2025.